How Do Barcodes Work?

[Music] have you ever wondered how that simple set of black lines on nearly every product in the store actually works we've all seen barcodes everywhere from groceries to electronics yet many people don't know the fascinating science behind them today we're diving into the world of barcodes to uncover how these tiny patterns make life more efficient faster and more organized let's get started welcome to the history of simple things where we delve into the fascinating history behind the little things that shape our world a barcode is essentially a series of parallel lines of varying thickness each

representing specific information when you look at a barcode it may seem like random lines but it's actually a coded language barcodes encode data through Visual patterns that a machine like a scanner can read and interpret this encoded data typically holds information about a product such as its price manufacturer and even its unique identification number barcodes aren't one size fits-all there are several types each tailored for different uses the two primary types are 1D one-dimensional and two D two-dimensional barcodes 1D barcodes these these are the more traditional barcodes that use a series of vertical lines and

they're commonly found on consumer goods the UPC or Universal product code is a classic example 1D barcodes can hold a limited amount of data usually just a few numbers that correspond to a database entry with additional details about the product 2D barcodes these barcodes use patterns shapes or dots rather than lines and can store much more information QR codes for instance are 2D barcodes and can hold website links contact information or even small amounts of text this flexibility makes them popular in marketing and inventory management creating a barcode is about generating a visual representation of

a set of numbers or characters to do this barcode software translates these numbers into specific patterns of lines for 1D or shape for 2D for example a UPC code often has 12 digits that represent the product and its manufacturer these digits are translated into a unique sequence of bars making each barcode unique to a specific item for businesses barcode creation often starts with generating a number that ties back to the product this number might be unique to the company following standardized guidelines from an organization like GS one which issues unique identifiers for products barcode generators

then use this number to create the final BARC code image which is then printed and attached to the item now let's explore how scanners decode this seemingly simple pattern barcode scanners emit a light usually a laser or LED onto the barcode as the light hits the barcode it reflects differently off the black bars and the white spaces the scanner sensor detects these Reflections and converts them into electrical [Music] signals the scanner's software then interprets these signals by comparing the pattern of dark and light areas with the encoded data this process is incredibly fast it takes

just a fraction of a second for the scanner to convert the light Reflections into readable data which is then sent to a computer or Cache register the scan data can quickly provide product details price or any other information tied to that barcode in the database to get a bit more specific let's look at the UPC or Universal product code the most common barcode type the 12 digits of a UPC are divided into sections the first six numbers usually represent the manufacturer the next five are the product's unique identifier and the final digit is a check

suum the cheum helps verify the accuracy of the other digits if there's an error in the scanning process the cheum won't match up indicating that the barcode wasn't read correctly this feature reduces the risk of mistakes ensuring that the correct information is always processed at [Music] checkout QR codes on the other hand function a bit differently QR codes store data in both the vertical and horizontal directions which is why they can store so much more information than traditional barcodes they also contain error correction meaning they can still be scanned correctly even if part of the

code is smudged or damaged when you scan a QR code your smartphone camera or a specialized scanner reads the pattern of dark and light areas QR codes also have alignment markers that help the scanner accurately read the code from any angle making them userfriendly and versatile in various settings from ticketing to marketing to ensure that barcodes work universally specific standards govern their creation organizations like gs1 set these standards allowing barcodes to be used worldwide without compatibility issues gs1 issues unique product numbers to manufacturers ensuring that each product has a distinct code thanks to these standards

you can buy buy a product with a barcode in one country and scan it in another without any [Music] problem while barcodes are incredibly useful they aren't without limitations for one traditional barcodes 1D can only store a limited amount of data if a company needs to encode more information they have to use two dbar codes or other Data Systems another limitation is visibility barcodes must be placed where they're easy to scan which means that any obstruction such as dirt or damage can interfere with the scanning process that's where QR codes have an edge they're more

resilient to damage thanks to error correction as technology advances barcodes continue to evolve QR codes are already widely used in marketing Logistics and even social media some companies are exploring RFID radio frequency identification as an alternative to barcodes unlike barcodes which need to be in the scanner's line of site RFID tags can be read from a distance and through objects potentially speeding up scanning and making inventory tracking even more seamless another emerging trend is image recognition technology which could eventually allow scanners to identify items without a barcode at all this Tech is still in its

infancy but as it develops it could make barcodes less necessary in some [Music] contexts in the end barcodes are a simple yet incredibly powerful tool that plays a huge role in our everyday lives from streamlining shopping trips to organizing Warehouse inventory these lines and spaces make countless processes faster and more accurate and as barcode technology continues to advance we might see even more efficient ways to gather and process data making our world just a little bit faster and more interconnected so next time you're at the store take a second to appreciate the tiny barcode a

small simple tool with a big impact thanks for watching if you have suggestions for our next video feel free to share them in the comments below we'll be sure to give you an acknowledgement for your contribution thank you for joining us on this journey through the history of simple things don't forget to like subscribe and stay tuned for more stories woven through the smallest details [Music]